Two things are certain when the NASCAR Cup Series starts their season with the Daytona 500. Someone is going to win the prestigious race, and others are going to be wrecked out of contention.
When cars are going 190 mph racing two, three and even four wide around the high banks of Daytona International Speedway, it’s inevitable contact will occur causing extensive damage to race cars. While some may continue on, others will receive enough damage to end their bid victory.
Twenty Cars Involved in Big One During NASCAR Daytona 500
On lap 123, the field was tossed into chaos when 20 cars were involved in a huge wreck as they coursed through the trioval under green. Some were able to continue on while others were towed to their garage stall and done for the day.
It started when the lap car of Justin Allgaier in the No. 40 JR Motorsports Chevrolet was being closed upon by those on the lead lap. As he tried to move up out of the way, a hard-charging Denny Hamlin placed the nose of his No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota into the No. 40’s back bumper.
This caused Allgaier to spin in front of the pack, taking out Hamlin and 18 other cars. Most notably affected were reigning NCS Champion Kyle Larson, pole sitter Kyle Busch and Joey Lagano, who had all led laps up to this point.
“I just hate it for everyone involved,” Allgaier said. “I’m going to take 100 percent responsibility for what happened. I watched the run coming on the top with Denny, I thought the hole was blocked up enough that the outside line wouldn’t try to go there. Once Denny (Hamlin) got there, I thought I was going to get a push to keep going but the air was taken off the right rear spoiler.”
Also collected was Ross Chastain, Austin Cindric, Ryan Blaney, William Byron, Todd Gilliland, Riley Herbst, Zane Smith, Cole Custer, John Hunter Nemechek, Erik Jones, Alex Bowman, Ty Gibbs, Corey Heim, Micheal McDowell and Shane van Gisbergen.
When the race did restart on lap 136, there were still 31 cars on the lead lap. Allgaier, Bowman and Gilliland registered DNFs and six cars were multiple laps down.
Daytona 500 Outside Pole Starter Chase Briscoe Gets Caught in Wreck
Chase Briscoe placed his No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota second on the starting grid after Wednesday night’s qualifying session. For the early part of Sunday’s race, Briscoe led 23 laps and finished 10th in Stage 1.
On Lap 86, Briscoe was on the inside part of a three-wide run and got shoved off the track exiting Turn 4. The No. 1 of Ross Chastain was to the high side with Cody Ware racing the No. 51 Chevrolet between the other two.
Chastain made contact with Ware, who then got low and ran into Briscoe. While spinning sideways toward the pit road entrance, Briscoe was t-boned by Austin Dillon in the No. 3 Chevrolet.
On the racing surface, both Connor Zilisch and Ty Gibbs came together and collected the No. 40 Chevrolet of Justin Allgaier. Briscoe and Dillon went behind the pit wall for repairs. The No. 19 Toyota returned to action 11 laps down while Dillon’s No. 3 remained there.
Multiple Incidents Deter William Byron’s Bid for Third Win
William Byron was forced to a back-up car for Sunday’s race having to start in the back. This was brought forth when Byron crashed his No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet in the first Duel on Thursday night. Bryon won the past-two Daytona 5oo races and was looking for a historical third.
However, that bid was slowed down on Lap 5 when he ran into the outside wall as BJ McLeod spun in Turn 4. He was also caught up in the aforementioned Lap 123 incident adding further damage to his Chevrolet.
Twenty Cars Involved in Big One During NASCAR Daytona 500